Potato-digger.



N o.'78"8,4=9-9- F YPATBNTED APR.25,1905- L. w. BRABBLE.

POTATO BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902 PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

L. W. BRABBLE.

POTATO BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902.

2 $HEET8-SEBET 2.

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z 0 t n a w qw Witueoawa 7 UNITED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LLOYD W. BRABBLE, OF DEEPOREEK, VIRGINIA. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES S. CARTER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

POTATO-DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,499, dated April 25, 1905.

Application filed August 29, 1902. fierial No. 121,533-

' the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vine-cutters, and pertains particularly to that class used in cutting potato-vines before the 1 potatoes are dug.

The object of my invention is to provide a cutter of this character in which the vines are readily cut, and the knife is provided with means for preventing the vines from choking the same.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for raising and lowering the cutting apparatus for the purpose of transportation or when turning at the end of a row.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cutter. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view looking toward the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4

' is an enlarged perspective view of the knife and operating-arm carried thereby.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents the main supporting-frame, which is oblong in shape, and secured to the under side of said frame are down wardly-extending members a, which are provided with the outwardlyextending spindles 0, upon which are rotatabl y mounted the draft-wheels B. The forward end of said frame A is provided with the outwardly-extending draft-beam A, which is rigidly secured thereto, and carried by the under side thereof is a downwardly-extending arm 0, carrying a small draft-wheel c, by means of which the frame A is kept in a level or horizontal position. Adjacent to the forward end of said frame A is a transverse cross-bar D, which carries a downwardly-extending pin or squared member (Z. The cutter E is a Hat V-shaped member adapted to rest upon the ground and is provided with the two cutting edges and is also provided with the two moldboards-e and e, which are adapted to throw the vines to one side after they have been cut. Extending upwardly from said moldboards is a member F, which is provided with a vertical opening or recess f, which is adapted to receive the downwardly-extending arm (Z and upon which the said plow or cutter is vertically movable and adjustable. Connected to the upper end of the member F is an upwardly-extending arm F, which extends considerably above the frame A. Pivoted to the upper part of the frame A is the rearwardlyextending intermediately-pivoted operatinglever G, which has its rear end extending back adjacent to the seat H, carried by the rear end of the frame A. The said frame adjacent to the seat is provided with an upwardly-extending member V, carrying a slot g, adapted to engage said lever G and hold it in the desired position. The forward end is provided with the lateral extending arm G, which has its outer end provided with an opening g, which is adapted to fit over the upper end of the rod F and be secured thereto by any desired means. It will be clearly seen that the cutter is raised or lowered as desired by raising or lowering the rear end of the leverGr. Thus it may be raised when transporting the machine from place to place or when turning at the end of a row.

To prevent the vines from clogging or choking the cutter, I provide the forward ends of the moldboards with a vertically-arranged oscillating knife I, which is pivoted at its upper end at 2' to the upwardly-extending member F, and connected with said knife at the pivotal point is a laterally-extending member i which extends transversely of the machine out beyond the wheel B. The outer end of the hub of said wheel carries an eccentric J, and surrounding said eccentric is an eccentricband K, which has an outwardly-extending arm K, which is intermediately pivoted at it to an outwardly-extending arm is, carried by the frame A and the outer end carrying an opening 70 through which passes the outer end 2' of the arm 71 and thus as the wheel revolves the eccentric operates the eccentricband K, which raises and lowers the arm 2' and thus the knife I is oscillated and the vines are cut and adapted to be pushed to each side of the stationary cutters by the moldboards.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A vine-cutter, comprising a frame, a horizontal flat cutter at its forward end, a vertically-arranged oscillating cutter carried by said horizontal cutter, substantially as described.

2. A vine-cutter, comprisinga frame, avertically-movable vine-cutter, a vertical oscillating knife carried thereby, substantially as described.

3. A vine-cutter comprising a frame, draft- Wheels supporting the same, a vertically-movable cutter, an intermediately-pivoted vertical oscillating knife carried by said cutter, and means operated by the draft-Wheel for oscillating said knife, substantially as described.

4. A vine-cutter comprising a frame, draft- Wheels supporting the same, a cutter carried thereby, an oscillating vertical knife pivoted to said cutter, an outwardly-extending arm carried by said knife and an eccentric operating said arm, substantially as described.

5. A vine-cutter comprising a frame, draft- Wheels supporting the same, a cutter carried thereby, an oscillating verticalknife pivoted to said cutter, an outwardly-extending arm carried by said knife, an eccentric carried by one of said Wheels, an intermediately-pivoted arm having one end connected to the arm carried by the knife, an eccentric-bar carried by the opposite end of said arm and operated by the eccentric, substantially as described.

6. A vine-cutter comprising a frame, draft- Wheels supporting the same, a vertically-movable cutter, means for holding said cutter in the desired position, a vertical oscillating knife pivoted to said cutter, an outwardly-extending arm carried by said knife, an eccentric carried by one of said Wheels, an intermediately-pivoted lever having one end connected to the arm carried by the knife, an eccentric-strap carried by the opposite end, substantially as described.

7. A vine-cutter comprising a frame,wheels supporting the same, a vertical cutter, an intermediately-pivoted lever operating said outter, an oscillating knife carried by said outter, means operated by the wheels for oscillating said knife, a pivoted frame, substantially as described.

8. A vine cutter comprising a frame, a downwardlyextending stud carried by the forward end of said frame, acutter having an upwardly-extending member having a vertical recess to receive said stud, a vertical knife pivoted at its upper end to said upwardlyextending member, an outwardly-extending arm carried by said knife, an eccentric foroperating said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo witnesses.

mark

W. BRABBLE.

Witnesses:

ERNEST C. HUNTER, S. A. TERRY. 

